


A Simple Mayoral Interrogation

by Aeltari, Free_hugs_for_ghouls



Series: Wasteland Story Prompts [1]
Category: Fallout 4
Genre: Drinking & Talking, F/F, F/M, Fahrenheit is Hancock's daughter, Gen, Kissing, M/M, Multi, Other, Recreational Drug Use, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-06
Updated: 2019-07-06
Packaged: 2020-06-16 08:02:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19643491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aeltari/pseuds/Aeltari, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Free_hugs_for_ghouls/pseuds/Free_hugs_for_ghouls
Summary: When our dear Mayor Hancock decides to hang a poster up, inviting the town's citizens to ask questions, he doesn't expect the results.





	1. The Prompt List

**Author's Note:**

> A prompt I found on Tumblr. Send in some numbers in the comments if you wish.

Hancock was bored. So he was busy... busying himself. He had found a sheet of paper with questions on it inside of a book and was now hanging it up outside of his doorstep. Shaking his head, he chuckled and smiled. Perhaps some of the citizens of Goodneighbor would submit some questions that he could answer. He went back inside and sat down at his desk.

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/151805148@N08/48209618262/in/dateposted/)


	2. Prompt #17 - Relationship Status

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aeltari submitted Prompt #17 Relationship Status.

Hancock was busy with various paperwork and entering tax records for the town in his computer terminal when there was a knock at his office door. He quickly removed his reading glasses and looked up as one of his house guards entered the room. 

"Mayor Hancock, someone left this note by that sign you hung up earlier." He held out a scrap of paper.

Hancock raised his eyebrow and smiled, "Really? Heh, wasn't really expecting anything at all. Thanks Bill." He reached out and took the paper. "Hmmmm, 17." He turned the paper over. Nothing else was written. "I can't remember what any of those numbers were." He chuckled and got up, heading to the front door of The Statehouse.

Stepping outside, he examined the poster he hung up, "Number 17 is... " He squinted in the daylight, without his glasses he was having a bit of trouble and the sun was a bit too bright. "Relationship status." Hancock smirked and looked around. There was nobody nearby to claim being the note writer. The guard who usually stood by the front door was leaning against the brick wall, snoring peacefully.

Hancock shook his head. He reached over and jabbed the guard in the shoulder, "Hey Jack! Wake up! Did ya happen to catch sight of the person who wrote this note?"

Jack blinked his eyes and yawned. He noticed who had poked him in the shoulder and had a look of panic on his face as he stood up at attention, "Ma... ma... Mayor Hancock! Sorry, sorry. No sir, I didn't see anyone!"

Hancock rolled his eyes, "Didja have some kinda party last night Jack? And ya didn't invite the Mayor. Tsk. Tsk." He was smiling with a bit of mirth in his voice.

Jack let out the breath he was holding and smiled, glad the Mayor was in a good mood at the moment, "No sir. Just was up all night again with the little one. Jillian needed help. Junior is still a little under the weather. I didn't see who left the note."

The Mayor smiled gently, "Do ya need the rest of the night off. So you can spend some time at home?"

Jack shook his head vigorously, "No, no sir. I'll be alright. Just... ah... don't let Captain Fahrenheit know I was asleep on the job again. She has a very sharp tongue sir."

Hancock nodded, "No problem here brother. I won't tell." He winked and looked at the note, contemplating. 

Someone in town wanted to know his relationship status. Frowning he looked around the little town square in front of The Statehouse. It was just the regular townsfolk going about their business. No one standing around waiting for his answer. Did he have some kind of secret admirer? Would be nice if they unsecreted themselves. He sighed and shrugged his shoulders. Pulling a pen from his pocket, he wrote 'Single' at the bottom of the note and pinned it next to the poster. 

He stood there staring at the note. Why would someone want to know if he was in a relationship or not? No one in town had ever let him know if they wanted something more from the Mayor. Sure a lot of his townsfolk had wanted the odd one night stand but no one asked him to stay any longer. 

Taking one last look around, Hancock went back into The Statehouse. Climbing the stairs to his office he noticed the captain of the guard was waiting for him at the top of the spiral staircase. Her arms crossed and looking slightly miffed.

He nodded his head at her, "Hey Fahr. What's up?"

The redhead shifted out of the way to let him up the stairs, "Jack was napping again, wasn't he?"

Hancock chuckled and continued walking into his office, "Naw, he was wide awake when I last saw him. He's a good kid. Just let him be, he needs the caps." He approached his office chair and held onto the back of it. "Hey Fahr... " He looked at her, a slight frown on his thin lips.

She had followed him into the office, "Yeah Jay, what's on your mind?"

Hancock looked down at his computer terminal, "Someone wrote a note asking about my relationship status. You haven't heard anything around town, have ya? Anything at all?"

Fahrenheit raised her eyebrows, "Who would ask that? Every local knows you're a wanderer. I wouldn't worry about it Jay."

Hancock smirked, "Heh, yeah. I'm a wanderer... a lonely old juggalo. Who'd want this ugly mug to wake up to every morning." His voice betrayed his sadness as he sat down at his desk. He took his glasses out of the top drawer and tapped the space key to wake the computer out of sleep mode. "Got some mayoral shit to do." He sighed. Best not to let a little bit of paper get his hopes up.

Fahrenheit stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Hancock's shoulders. She gently kissed his cheek, "You'll always have me... dad." 

Hancock smiled and placed his hand on her forearm, "Yeah, you and me against the world, eh Fahr?" He patted her arm and then began typing.


	3. Prompt #22 - Do you like yourself?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aeltari submitted Prompt #22 - Do you like yourself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The sections inside the ~~ were written by my co-author, Aeltari!

~~~~~~~~~~

It was already dark, when a figure slipped into The Statehouse and crept up the stairs. They saw Hancock, the remains of chems littered around him, passed out on the worn red leather sofa. Silent as a shadow, the figure approached the sleeping Mayor of Goodneighbor and placed a piece of paper on the table besides the Mayor's foot. On it was written in stark black marker #22.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hancock was passed out. Sleeping like a rock, as the saying goes. So when a silent figure entered the Statehouse and left a note, he did not have a clue. Who knows where his bodyguards were. Possibly off playing cards or Fahrenheit's favorite game, chess. So they were all very lucky that this stealthy figure had not been an assassin.

Hancock awoke with a yawn. He stretched his skinny body like some kind of cat, lazily rolling his shoulders. He had passed out in an awkward position on his couch. Stiff joints reminded him he needed someone to repair his bed, which lay broken in his bedroom.

His mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of the previous day and the idea someone was interested in his relationship status. He had taken his usual bedtime cocktail of chems to ease his mind and passed out cold.

Hancock blinked slowly, consciousness creeping into his mind, as he noticed the paper by his foot. Shaking his head to clear the cobwebs, he reached out and snatched up the paper. Written boldly in black was the number 22.

Frowning he mumbled, "Whazit... 22... I thought the answer to the universe was 42... Urgh." He smacked his dry lips together. Stuffing the paper into his inner breast pocket, he heaved himself up off the couch. He made is way over to his small kitchenette and opened the fridge. 

He pulled a nearly empty milk bottle out and grumbled. Tipping the bottle to his lips a small dribble of milk leaked out. Hancock snorted, "Fahrenheit... " He turned towards the counter and set the bottle down. The ghoul yawned again and his hand drifted downwards and he scratched himself through his trousers.

Hancock opened up another cupboard and pulled out a bottle of vodka. He pulled the cork out with his teeth and took a long swallow. He squinted as he drew in a sharp breath through his teeth. He plugged the bottle again and returned it to the cupboard.

Slowly entering the waking world he pulled the scrap of paper from his pocket. He scrunched his face up, "What the hell does 22 mean?" He paced over to his desk and tapped the space key on his keyboard. His computer blinked on with a flash of green light. His fingers tapped out different commands as he stood looking at the screen, trying to find 22.

Then it dawned on him... the poster he hung up!

He turned and walked briskly down the staircase and out his front door. Hancock traced his finger down the list until it came to 22. 'Do you... like yourself?' 

The ghoul mayor narrowed his eyes and tilted his head, backing away from the wall. "The hell kinda question is that? Do I like myself?" He turned around and looked at the town square. Who wrote this note? Same person as before? He started chewing on his lower lip as he scanned through the townsfolk.

He huffed and pulled his pen from his pocket and wrote below the number 22, 'No, not really.' He was about to put this paper next to the other but hesitated. Was this something he should put on display to the whole town? 

Hancock tipped his tricorn hat back and scratched his head. Then tucked the paper back into his pocket. His boots turned and took him over to the door to the Third Rail, the only bar in town that he happened to own.

It was breakfast time and he was going to get his grub on. The questions still on his mind.

~~~~~~~~~~

In the darkness, eyes watched the Mayor carefully. A curious mind was alert and waiting for the answer...

~~~~~~~~~~

Hancock entered the front door to the Third Rail. He nodded and smiled at a well dressed ghoul named Ham.

Ham nodded back, "Mayor."

Hancock stood and scratched his hand as he approached Ham, "Any trouble I should know about brother?"

Ham was the bouncer on duty at the Third Rail. It was his job to throw out the drunks who rough housed a little too much. "Not... yet. It's early in the day. Give trouble time to manifest and it will."

The mayor smiled and tipped his tricorn at Ham. "Thanks, brother. I'll make sure to enjoy the trouble that comes my way if any manifests." He chuckled and went down the stairs to the bar.

The Third Rail was built inside of an old subway station. Cobbled together with various bits of wood and the dilapidated leftovers from a bygone era, it was a refuge for the downtrodden.

As he descended the stairs, Hancock heard the melodious voice of the jewel of his bar, a jazz singer named Magnolia. She was just as beautiful as the flower she was named after. He had seen pictures of them in a book. 

Hancock stood at the bottom of the stairs and looked over the patrons of the bar. Could the person who wrote those notes be down here somewhere? He scanned the room. Hard to tell. No one stood out. He shrugged his shoulders as he walked to the bar.

Hancock planted his ass firmly on a barstool close to the stage. He smiled at Magnolia

The jazz singer continued singing as she looked in the mayor's direction. She smiled back.

The ghoul winked and kissed the air. 

A Mr. Handy robot, who happened to be the bartender, approached, "Mayor 'Ancock... the usual? Or are you just going to eat Magnolia again after she... "

Hancock hit the front of the robot with back of his hand, "Shut it Chuck! I ain't in the mood. Got any waffles left? I'm starving."

The robot, known as White Chapel Charlie, huffed loudly, "I saved a couple just for you 'Ancock. Special favor for the Mayor and all... had to beat off the rabble clamoring for them."

Hancock grinned slowly, "You beat off some of your patrons there, Chuck? I'd love to see that."

The Mr. Handy made a gear grinding noise, "I'll go prepare your waffles then... Mayor." And he drifted away to the back, grumbling.

Hancock sighed and grabbed an empty beer bottle. He began peeling off the label slowly. He paused and removed the scrap of paper from his pocket. Looking over his shoulder, he set the paper next to him on the bar and returned to picking at the beer label.

~~~~~~~~~~

The figure crept quietly down the stairs to The Third Rail proper. Silent as a shadow, she parked herself in a darkened corner and observed. She was curious about the man that held such sway over the entire population of Goodneighbor. Everyone was welcome but Hancock tolerated no funny business from anybody. Even gangsters and hardened criminals fell in line when the Mayor's black shining eyes fell upon them.

She watched him interact with the singer and a few other patrons. There were many questions she wanted to ask the ghoul. She hoped that he would get around to answering some of the ones he'd posted on The Statehouse door. She knew that he had done that in an attempt to engage the populace, to make him seem less remote, more approachable. Well, she would wait and see. She needed to make sure he was someone that her and her associates could trust.

~~~~~~~~~~

Hancock turned around in his barstool, leaning his thin frame against the counter and observed the patrons of the bar. All the usual suspects today. Some of them glanced at him, nodding their heads. Those that thought they were on the mayor's shitlist, avoided eye contact.

He causally tapped his fingers against the countertop, keeping time with the upbeat song Magnolia was singing. Hancock couldn't quite shake the feeling that he was being watched. Narrowing his eyes he scanned the room. Thankfully dim light helped him see a bit better. Ghouls had good night vision. Almost as good as a dog's or cat's.

He thought he could see someone in a darkened corner but was suddenly interrupted by a guy bumping into him. "Mayor Hancock! I've been looking for you. Ya gotta help me out brother."

Hancock eased the scowl off his face as he noticed the guy, "Tucker... don't you already owe me 200 caps?" The ghoul stared at the rather dirty looking man in front of him.

Tucker smiled a greasy smile and tried to put his arm around the Mayor, "Hancock... good buddy... good pal... I will get that back to you. In time, in time... I need a hookup this time. Some Jet... some of that good stuff, pally boy. And perhaps you could put in a good word to the beautiful Magnolia while you're at it." Tucker swayed a little on his feet.

Hancock frowned and shook Tucker's arm off, "You still owe me caps... brother. Until you pay up, I ain't doing you any mayoral favors. Ya feel me? Fred over at the Rexford can sell you some Jet." Hancock put his own arm around the guy's shoulders and pulled him close, shoving his combat knife against the guy's ribcage. "Don't you even think about going anywhere near Magnolia. She ain't interested. So leave her the fuck alone. Got it?"

Tucker gulped and nodded his head, "S... sure thing Mayor Hancock. I'll go see Fred then."

Hancock smirked and let Tucker go. He gently patted the guy's dirty cheek, "That's good. Oh and be a peach and rustle up those caps, mmmkay?"

Tucker backpedaled away from the Mayor, "Yes, yes, no problem there Mayor Hancock. I'll get you those caps I owe no problem." Tucker then turned and bolted towards the staircase. Nearly tripping as he ascended.

Hancock chuckled and turned back towards the bar. Charlie had returned and placed a plate full of blackened burnt flat pieces of who knows what on the counter. 

The ghoul stared at the presentation. He poked the top one with his finger. "Ummmm... this shit is what exactly?"

Whitechapel hummed, "Waffles."

Hancock glared at the robot, "What happened to 'em? A super mutant ate 'em then shit 'em back out? You feeding me super mutant shit Chuck?" He picked one up and dropped it. The disc hit the counter, bounced then shattered. He frowned at Charlie.

Whitechapel took the plate away, "I take it the Mayor is unsatisfied with his meal?"

Hancock rolled his eyes, "What gave you that idea, Einstein? Just forget about it. What happened to your waffle making skills Chucky? They were good last time."

The handy robot just took the plate away, issuing a series of muffled curses, as he drifted to the back room.

Hancock huffed and reached over the bar counter, he pulled out a bottle of whiskey. Looks like breakfast was liquid this morning, as usual. 

He was just about to take a swing, when he felt a pair of delicate fingers walk across his shoulders. He smiled, "Hey Flower, didn't notice you'd stopped singing. How goes your morning?"

Magnolia slid onto the barstool next to Hancock's and bumped her knee against his. She smiled and whispered to him, "Good Morning John. Charlie giving you trouble again?"

The ghoul mayor grabbed two shot glasses from behind the counter and poured Magnolia a shot, then himself, "As usual. Just another day at The Rail." Hancock drained the shot and poured another, "So, what plans does the prettiest flower in The Commonwealth have for today?"

Magnolia smiled and leaned over to kiss Hancock on the neck. The ghoul hummed appreciatively, "Thanks flower, you're the only person who does that." Holding the shot glass in his hand, he gently swirled the contents.

Magnolia continued gently kissing up his neck until she reached his jaw. "John... Are you okay? You seem kinda glum today. Anything on your mind?"

Hancock reached over and picked up the scrap of paper he'd placed on the counter earlier, "I started a kind of questionnaire thing. Only two responses so far. One asked me my relationship status... just been deep thinking about that one. The is one... asked me if I liked myself."

Magnolia gently slid her hand along his hand, taking the piece of paper. She knew John loved physical contact and was starved of it. She had known him for a very long time and remembered how handsome he had been before his little transformation. It was his hatred of himself that drove him to do the one thing that he thought would be a punishment, turn himself into a ghoul. 

Magnolia looked at the paper, "22... No, Not really." She read aloud. Ever so gently, she kissed the corner of his mouth. "John... don't you think you've punished yourself enough?"

Continuing to stare at the shot glass full of whiskey, Hancock barked a short laugh, "No... What happened in Diamond City was my faul... "

Magnolia quickly placed her hand on his cheek and pressed her mouth full on his. She kissed him deeply. Boldly, in front of everyone, the beautiful jazz singer slid her tongue into the mouth of a ghoul. 

Ghouls were often shunned in this society, even in the free spirited town of Goodneighbor. Even the Mayor had his share of prejudice shoved at him. Most, if not all of his one night stands never even let him take of his clothes when getting down to business.

Hancock just closed his eyes, kissing Magnolia back. He gently stroked his thumb against her chin. When the singer finally pulled away, he smirked. If he could still blush, he would be, "Well, that was a little unexpected. Loved every second of it but still... "

Magnolia stared deep into his shining black eyes, "John, you're a beautiful person. You're kind, smart, funny and protective of those you see fit. Don't keep hating yourself."

Hancock cleared his throat and looked down at his hands, he turned the shot glass around. "Thanks Magnolia. You're the only one who thinks that."

Magnolia bumped her shoulder against his, "Daisy thinks so too, sweetheart. Pretty sure Irma does as well." She set her hand on his thigh and patted it. "Now, I'm meeting my date in a few moments in the VIP room, so you go find Irma. She was asking about you." Magnolia winked.

Hancock huffed and shook his head, "Well, what ya doing out here smooching on me for, if you've got a date, Flower? Anyone I know?"

Magnolia smiled as she moved her hand to caress his inner thigh, eliciting a small yelp from the big tough Mayor, "I noticed you might be sad. Thought I should cheer you up a little, sugar." She kissed his chin and drew back her hand. "My date for the day is the new merc who you've let operate out of the VIP room."

Hancock raised his eyebrow, "The new guy? MacCready?" Hancock chuckled, "That guy has got no business being that handsome. Everytime I look at him, I have to resist the urge to make out with him like some horny teenager." He smiled wistfully. "Have fun, Flower. I'll probably just go visit Irma, mayoraly of course. Maybe get a check up from Dr. Amari." He shrugged his shoulders.

Magnolia took his hand in hers and squeezed it, "Have fun with Irma, John. She cares about you. We all do." She got up off her barstool and sauntered over to the VIP room.

Hancock watched her go, appreciating the way her hips swayed. He sighed and got up himself. He took the scrap of paper and swaggered over to a couch near a wall. A bit out of the way. He flung himself down and put his boots up on the table. Leaning back, he put his hat over his eyes and drapped his arms over the back of the couch.


End file.
